As Section 2 went to press, the first 10 picks in the MLS SuperDraft had been revealed. UCLA defender Chance Myers, 20, went No. 1, chosen by the Kansas City Wizards. FC Dallas went next, choosing 17-year-old Brek Shea, whose official affiliation is with the U.S. U17 national team. UCLA ... Read the whole story

ESPN's Jeff Carlisle says the national team mood ahead of this weekend's friendly against Sweden is decidedly calmer than it was at this time 12 months ago. For one thing, the relationship between coach Bob Bradley and the team is on firmer ground, as Bradley was an "interim" coach last ... Read the whole story

There's something about certain years, says SI.com's Gabriele Marcotti, and 1987 is shaping up to be a very special one, indeed. The list of players born in that year creates a team that would "threaten for the league title anywhere in the world," he says. And these guys are still ... Read the whole story

Americans George Gillett and Tom Hicks have nearly finalized a refinancing plan for the $700 million debt incurred when they took over Liverpool last February. The loan deal involving the Royal Bank of Scotland and U.S. investment firm Wachovia is set to be completed early next week, provided Gillett and ... Read the whole story

Guardian writer Steven Wells supplies a scary, if humorous snapshot of that uniquely American sports institution known soccer-bashing. Many of us, blinded by the growing support and awareness of soccer in the U.S., will be unaware that there's a whole online world devoted to hating the world's most popular sport. ... Read the whole story